Sewing machine



Oct. 10, 1944. SCHOIJ 2,33Qfl75 SEWING MACHINE Filed June 9, 1942 2 Sheets-sheaf; l

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

HP- HP- Oct. 10, 1944. E. sci-101.1 2,360,075

SEWING MACHINE Fi1ed June 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mar-mu.

, VENTOR, EDGAR SOHO/J ATTORNE Y Patented Oct. 10, 1944 AT'ENT OFFICE SEWING MACHINE Edgar Schoij, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Union Special Machine Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 9, 1942, Serial No. 446,323 (01. 192-12) 19 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved sewing machine and more particularly a cup-feed sewing machine of the type commonly employed in seaming silk hosiery.

In a machine of the character indicated there is ordinarily provided a pair of feed cups adapted to support and advance the work in proper relation to the stitch forming devices. These feed cups are driven step by step through the conversion of the rotary movement of a cam or eccentric into an oscillatory motion, of small magnitude, imparted to a clutch member. The clutch is of the one-way drive type so that the oscillatory motion imparted to said member is transmitted in small unidirectional, intermittent increments to one or both of the feed cups. At the high speeds now attained in the operation of machines of this character it is extremely diff1-- cult to maintain uniformity of stitch length, particularly as the speed of the machine is varied during the formation of a seam. The parts of the clutch which receive the intermittent, unidirectional movement have a tendency I to overthrow and this tendency increases with application of a braking force to such parts when they reach the end of each increment of movement.

A special feature of the invention is the provision of the clutch and braking means asa unitary assembly which is of simple and compact construction.

Another feature is the provision of a brake, in association with a clutch of the character indicated, which assists the driving connections of the clutch in transmitting the desired torque and which opposes overthrow of the driven parts by imparting an opposing torque.

While the invention is particularly applicable to the driving of the feed cups of a machine of the character mentioned, it is applicable also to other machines or devices presenting similar problems. I

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from a detailed description of an illustrative form of the same which will now be given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. I is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the upper portion of a cup-feed sewing machine embodying the invention. a

Fig. II is a vertical, axial section through the clutch and associated devices for driving one of the feed cups, the latter being shown in dot and dash lines.

FigIII is a horizontal, sectional View along the line 3--3 of Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a horizontal, sectional View alon the line IVIV of Fig. II, and

Fig. V is a horizontal, sectional view along the line V-V of Fig. II. i

Referringnow to the drawings, the invention has been shown applied to a machine of the type illustrated in the Rubel et a1. Patent No. 2,043,711 granted June 9,1936. It comprises a hollow frame It, the lower portion of which is not shown but which, it will be understood, is adapted to be supported upon a suitable work table. At its top the frame is provided with a laterally extending, hollow bracket portion ll adapted to house the driving mechanism for the feed cups, as will be hereinafter more fully ex plained. Suitably journaled in the walls of the frame If! is a main drive shaft l2 which extends, at one or both ends, beyond the wall of the frame and is provided with a suitable hand wheel or pulley, not shown, by which power is supplied to the machine. Suitable connections, not shown herein but fully disclosed in said Rubel et a1. patent,areprovided from the shaft !2 for reciprocating a needle bar I3 extending through a bearing bushing in the front wall of the frame. Other connections are provided from said shaft for imparting both an oscillatory and bodily movement to a primary looper I l carried by a bar l5 adapted to be both rocked and shifted axially within a bearing sleeve 16. Still other connections from said shaft are provided for oscillating a secondary looper ll carried by a bar I8 adapted to be rocked in a bearing bushing l0. As will be seen by reference to the Rubel et a1. patent, appropriate movements are imparted to the various stitch forming devices described, on each cycle of the machine, by means of eccentrics carried by the shaft l2.

For supporting and feeding the work in proper relation to the stitch forming devices, a pair of feed cups 20 and 2| is provided. These are secured, respectively, to the lower ends of shafts 22 and 23. Shaft 22 is journaled within a sleeve I mounted in a socket-at the end of a bracket I a'well known manner.

in a counter-clockwise direction, however, will be lidle due to the action of sprin s159 carried by thememberf 40 adjacentits corners. l The conpivoted'by means offa rock shaft 26 to the underside of the bracket H. A suitable spring, not shown, which may be of the type disclosed in said Rubel et a1. patent, serves to'rock the arm 25 in a counter-clockwise direction, Fig.I,.

and thus urges the feed cup ZOyieIdinglyagain'st the cup 2!. The upper end of the shaft 22 is connectedby a universal coupling 21 with a shaft 28 journaled in afbushing 29 carried by the bracket H. Above the bushing there is secured to the shaft 28 the hub 30 of a gear 3|, which meshes with a gear 32 whose hub 33 is secured by a set screw 34 to the shaft 23.

The shaft 23 is journaled in a 35,mounted in a downwardly extending boss 36 on the under side of the bracket I I; A set screw 31 serves to retain th sleeve in the boss. Secured to the shaft'23 by a set screw-'39, just below'the sleeve 35, is a collar 38 which serves to "retain the j shaft against upward movement in the sleeve the hubf33 and other parts, to be resently described, serve to retain the shaftagainst downward movement. I

"her the purpose of imparting intermittent in crements of rotary movement to the shaft 23, a

one-way clutch of improved construction is pro vided. Thisincludesadriven,member 40 in the form of a block, of substantially triangular cross section, secured byset screws 41 and 142 17917118 shaft 23 just above a cup;shapedi;portion 43 formed at the upper end. of; thefsleeve 35 The block 40 rests upon the upper' surface of'the bottom wall ofthecup which, as,previously noted,

is held stationary. Above thecup 43 is an in-V verted cup which islmounted freely upon the. shaft 23 ,foroscillationthereon, Cup 44, which is the driving member of th clutch, is complementary to the cup 43'and forms with the latter a, clutch housing .orifd fllm which encloses the driven member '40 and, various other elements,

to .be presentlydescribed.- t V I V Thecup or' upper drum section 44 is oscillated about thes'haftl23 by suitable connections extending to and operated by the shaft l2.v These connections include an arm 45*extending laterally from the cup 44 and having aball and socket connection "46 'with a link 41 pivoted at its op posite, end upon apin 48 carried by a block which is adjustable to any appropriate positio within an elongated slot 49 in an arm 50'of a rock member 5! mounted on a shaft 52 supported by the frame.

the magnitude of the arc through which the cup 'M is' oscillated. A downwardly extending arm' 53' of the rock member 5| is connected by a pin '54 with a 'pitman'55' having an eccentric strap a portion '56 surrounding an eccentric 51 secured bearing fsleeve ferent portions of the flat surfaces'of the member 40 at different times to minimize wear.

As the member 44 is shifted in the counterclockwise direction (Fig. IV), turning of the member 40 in this direction isdefinitely prevent- 7 ed by the action of clutch rollers '60, which are squeezed, at this time against the wall of the cup portion 43 of the stationary sleeve 35. RolL. ers 60, however, do not interfere with the clockwise rotation of the member 40 due to the action of the springs 6| mounted at the corners of the member 40. The action of this one-way clutch construction is, in general, similar to that of the y clutch disclosed in said Long 'et a1. patent.

Now, there: is a tendency of the member 40 to overthrow, particularly during high speed operations.' Thus, as the member 44 attains its maximum'velocity, at about the mid-point in its,

clockwise movement, the momentum imparted to the member 40 tends to'carry it on at a higher velocity than the'driving member, which now begins to decelerate. Accordingly, during the last half of the feed stroke the member 40 has a tendency to travel further than the member 44. This tendency is reduced by the "construction herein disclosed, due to the reductionof both the mass and'the diameter of the'inter-g mittently rotated'memb'er. The advantages of this construction over prior one-way clutch mechanisms aredisclosed in the pending appli cation of Harold J. LeVes'conte, Ser. No.'443,892

'filed May 21,1942 7 V However, tooffset' more completely the over- 7 throw tendency of the member 40, a'friction brake'is provided, in accordance'with the presem; invention. For this purpose'aplate or disc 62 is secured by'screws'ii3 tothe'driven-mem ber 40. With'the upper surface of this plate there'cooperates anannular rim 64 on the inner or under surface of the top of the cup member 44. The annular surface is urged into frictional engagementwith: the upper surface of plate'62 by means of a spring 65 which surrounds a hub portion 66 of the 'member 44; At its upper end thespring 65 bears againstthe inner bottom-wall ofa bell or cup 61 freely mount- 7 ed upon the shaft 23; The spring 65 urges the 7 upper surface of the cup; 6T= into engagement -'It .will be understood that the block Q whichlca'rries thepin 48 is adapted to be clamped V l in any desired position withinthe slot 49 to vary 56 with the lower end of the hub 33 of the gear 32.

Thus, it will be seen that the spring 65 urges the cup 61 in one direction and the member 44 in the opposite direction, all of these parts being confined between the hub 33 and member 40. Pins'68, which extend downwardly from the top wall of" thecup 61, are engaged in a transtversel-y extending slot 69 formed in the upper end of the hub 66 of member 44. This preventsrelative rotation between'the 'member' 44 and cup 61 but permits relative axial movement beto the shaft l2. As willbe apparent, upon rotanon of the shaft l2 the pitman 55 will rock the member'5l and, through the link 41, will oscillate the cup or upper drum'section 44.

' Movements of the'cup 44 in a clockwise direction (Fig; IV) will b imparted to the driven member by means of a series of rollers 58, in Movements of the cup of the machine and then introduced by simply a struction is preferably such, as disclosed in the I 'pa'tent toLong an, No. 1,692,130, granted Nov. "-20, 1928; that the rollers 58 cooperate with 'diftween these parts. l l

As will be seen from'Fig. II, all of the elements therein disclosed in full lines constitute, a

unitary assembly which may be formed outside passing the'sleeve 35 through the opening in the boss 36, the parts being fcl'amped in' position by means of thelset screw 37. Subsequently, the feed cup 25 may be applied to the lower end of the shaft 23. V

y In operation of the machine, a disc I2a, indicated in dot and dash lines and carried by the shaft, 12, dips into the oil at the bottom of the hollow frame [0 and serves'to whip the; oil into a finespray, which is distributedthroughout the interior of the frame. A portion of this spray is delivered over and around the gears 3| and 32 and the clutch unite To insure adequate lubrication of the clutch unit, the gear 32 is preferably provided on its upper face with a number of depressions adapted to collect some of the oiland deliver it through passages H to points beneath. Similar depressions 12 in the upper surface of the member 44 collect a portion of the oil and deliver it through passages 13 to the interior of the housing or drum formed by the complementary cup-shaped members 43 and 44. Apertures 14 are provided in the brake disc 62 to assist in delivering some of the lubricant to the rollers 58 and 60. Excess lubricant is discharged from the clutch housing through a passage 15 which serves to return the excess to the reservoir in the frame l0. Some of the lubricant in the clutch housing is delivered by a spiral groove 16 along the bearing surface of the sleeve to provide adequate lubrication for the shaft 23.

The operation of the improved one-way clutch and brake construction is as follows: Upon each revolution of the shaft 12, the eccentric 51 oscillates the rock member 5! and reciprocates the rod or link 41. driving clutch member 44. Upon the clockwise movements of member 44, the rollers 58 serve to drive the block and shaft 23 a corresponding extent, while upon the reverse movements of the member 44, the rollers 58 are idle while rollers 60, acting between the fixed member 43 and the driven member 40, serve to prevent reverse movement of the latter. Throughout the operation of the member 44, its annular surface 64 is in frictional engagement with the disc 62 secured to the driven member. During clockwise movement of the member. 44, or at least until the midpoint in this movement is reached, the friction so created assists in driving the member 40. After the member 44 has attained its maximum velocity in its clockwise movement, however, the friction between it and the disc 62 provides a retarding or braking action which substantially prevents overthrow of the member 40. Moreover, any tendency of the member 40 to continue its feed movement after the member 44 has reached the end of its stroke is more positively prevented than by a simple, stationary brake due to the fact that the surface 64 is promptly moved in the opposite direction and through its frictional engagement with disc 62, tends to impart a reverse torque to the member 49. During the oscillations of the member 44, the spring-retaining cup 61 will turn with the hub 33 on the clockwise movements (Fig. III) but will turn relative to the hub 33 on the counter-clockwise movements. 7

While an illustrative form of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the general principles and scope of the invention. The terms and expressions used herein have been employed as terms of description and not of limitation.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the class described a part adapted to be rotated intermittently, a constant- 1y rotating shaft, and connections from said shaft for im arting intermittent movements to said part. said connections comprising a driving clutch member adapted to be oscillated from said shaft, a driven clutch member connected with said part and adapted to be rotated in one direction by said driving member, means for prevent- This causes oscillation of the a ing reverse rotation of said driven member, and brake means for preventing overthrow of said driven member, said braking means comprising friction surfaces and pressure creating means operable constantly to maintain the same in cooperative relation irrespective of wear.

2. In a machine of the class described a part adapted to be rotated intermittently, a constantly rotating shaft, and connections from said shaft for imparting intermittent movements to said part, said connections comprising a driving clutch member adapted to be oscillated from said shaft, a driven clutch member connected with said part and adapted to be rotated in one direction by said driving member, means for preventin' reverse rotation of said driven member, and friction means constantly acting between said driving and driven members, said friction means comprising pressure creating means operable constantly to maintain surfaces on said driving and driven members in frictional engagement irrespective of wear.

3. In a machine of the class described a part adapted to be rotated intermittently, a constant- 1y rotating shaft, and connections from said shaft for imparting intermittent movements to said part said connections comprising a driving clut'h member adapted to be oscillated from said shaft, a driven clutch member connected with said part and adapted to be rotated in one direction by said driving member, means for preventing reverse rotation of said driven member, friction surfaces on said driving and driven members,

and spring means for constantly urging said friction surfaces together.

i 4. In a machine of the class described a part adapted to be rotated intermittently, a constantly rotating shaft, and connections from said shaft for imparting intermittent movements to said part, said connections comprising a driving clutch member adapted to be oscillated from saidshaft, a driven clutch member connected with said part and partlv enziosed by said driving clutch mem her, a t iionary member enclosing the rest of said ren member, clutch means effective in opposite directions between said driven member and said driving and stationary members, respectively, and brake means cooperating with said driven member for preventing overthrow thereof, said braking means comprising friction surfaces and pressure creating means operable constantly to maintain the same in cooperative relation irrespective of wear.

5. In a device of the class described a clutch unit comprising a shaft, a driving member oscillatable on said shaft, a driven member secured to said shaft, a fixed member in which said shaft is journaled, means between said driving and driven .members for transmitting rotation in one direction only, means between said driven and fixed members for preventing relative rotation in one direction, and spring urged brake means acting upon said driven member to prevent overthrow thereof.

S. In a device of the class described a clutch unit comprising a shaft, a drivingimember oscillatable on said shaft, a driven member secured to said shaft, a fixed member in which said shaft is journaled, means between said driving and driven members for transmitting rotation in one direction only, means between said driven and fixed members for preventing relative rotation in one direction, and friction means comprising friction surfaces and pressure creating means operable constantly to maintain said surfaces injcoop'erative relation irrespective of wear and f arranged to apply a torqueto said driven member opposed to said one direction of rotationfto prevent overthrow. i

' "7. In a device of the class. described'a clutch unit comprising a shaft, a driving memberoscib.

latableon said shaft, a driven member securedto said shaft, a fixed member in which said'shaft is journaled, means membersfor transmitting rotation in one direcand fixed 3 members for preventing relative rotationin one direction, and friction means including yielding tion only, means'between said driven pressure creating means'acting constantly between said driving and driven members.

unit comprising a stationary friction force serving to supplement "8.-In a device of'the class described a clutch unit comprising a shaft, a driving member oscilon said shaft, a driven member secured to latable' 7 said shaft, a fixed member in'which said'shaft is journaled, means between said driving anddriven' members for transmitting rotation in one direction' only, means between said driven and fixed between said driving and driven members" for preventing relative rotation in one a direction, said driving and driven members having. cooperating friction surfaces, and spring means urging said surfaces together creating a mentioned means upon movement of said driving member in one direction and to then oppose overthrow of said driven member.

described a clutch member, a shaft journaled in said member, a block secured to said 9. 'In a deviceof the class shaft, a member oscillatable on said shaft and slidable'axially thereof into'eng'agement with said block, spring means urging said member and 'block' into frictional engagement, and one-way clutch means between said .block' and said sta-;

, said spring'means creatinga braking'action' upon 11. In a device said block to prevent overthrow thereof. 7

10. In a' device of the class described a clutch unit comprising ia stationary member, a shaft journaled in saidmember, a blocksecured to said shaft, a memberoscillatableon said shaft and slidable axially thereof into engagement with said block, one-way clutch means between said block and said stationary and oscillatabl'e members, re-

and spring means for urging said oscilfrictional engagement with spectively, latablei member into said block, thereby supplementing said one-way clutch means indriving said block and shaftand subsequently prevently over-throw thereof.

'of the class described a clutch unit comprising a stationary member, a shaft journaled in said member, a block secured to said shaft, a member oscillatable on said shaft and slidable axially thereof into engagement with said block, said stationary member and said oscillat able member having complementary cup-shaped portions forming a housing for said block, oneway clutch means between'said blockand said stationary and oscillatable members, respectively,

and spring means urging'said oscillatable member into frictional engagement with said block to assist in driving the latter and then prevent overthrowthereof. r 1 a 12. In a cup-feed sewing machine having a' main drive shaft, a pair of feed cups, inter-connected shaftssupporting said feed cups and driving the same, and connections from said main drive shaft to one-of" said inter-connected shafts for driving the same intermittently through predetermined increments athigh frequency, the improvement which comprises including in said connections anoscillatabledriving 'clutclimember, a driven clutch member driven in'one direction by said driving member, means forpreventingreverse movement of-said driven clutch member, and additional means comprising friction surfaces and pressure creatingmeans operable constantlyto maintain s'aid surfaces in cooperative relation irrespective of wear and serving to apply a braking action to said driven member to prevent overthrow thereof;

13. In a cup-feed sewing machine having a main drive shaft, a pai'rof' feedcups, inter-connected shafts supporting said feed cups and driving the same, and connections from said main drive shaft to one of said inter-connectedshafts for driving the same intermittently through predetermined increments at high frequency, the improvementwhich comprises including in said connections an oscillatable driving clutch member, a driven clutch memberdriven in one direction by said driving member, meansfor preventing reverse movement of said driven clutch member, andfriction means'including separate pressurecreating means and friction surfaces urged together thereby for applying a. reverse torque to said driven member upon-the completion of each'forward movement of said member, said pressurecreating .means' being operable constant ly tomaintainsaid surfaces in cooperative relation irrespective of wear.

14. In a cup-feed sewing machine having a main drive shaft, a pair of feed cups, inter-contionary and oscillatable membersrespectively,

nected shafts supporting said feed cups anddriving the same, andaconnections from said main drive shaft tonne of saidinter-connected shafts for, driving the same intermittently through predetermined increments at high frequency, the

improvement which comprises including in said connections an oscillatablei driving clutch mem- 40 ber, a driven clutch member driven in one direction by said driving member, means for preventing reverse movement of" said driven clutch member, said driving and'driven clutch members having cooperating friction surfaces, andseparate spring means for maintaining said surfaces in frictional engagement.

15. A unitary assemblycomprising a bearing sleeve, a shaft journaled in said sleeve,.a'driven clutch element secured to said shaft,'a driving. element, oscillatable on 'said' shaft, clutching means between said driving and driven elements for-imparting, movements to said driven element in one direction, clutching means acting between said sleeve and saiddriven element to prevent reverse movement of said elementjmeans for confining said shaft against any substantial axial movement relative to said sleeve, and yielding means for urging one of said driving and driven clutch elements axially toward the" other and thereby applying friction to'said driven element to prevent overthrow thereof.

16. A unitary assembly comprising a bearing] 7 sleeve, a shaft journaled in said sleeve, a driven clutch element secured to said shaft,'a driving element oscillatable on saidshaft, clutching means between said driving and driven elements for imparting movements to said driven element in one direction, clutching means acting between said sleeve and said driven element to prevent reverse movement of said element, said driving and driven elements having cooperating friction surfaces, and spring means for urging said surfaces toether.

7 17. A unitary assembly comprising sleeve, a shaft journaled in said sleeve, a'driven a bearing clutch element secured to said shaft, a driving element oscillatable on said shaft, said sleeve and driving element having complementary cupshaped portions forming a housing around said driven element, clutching means between said driving and driven elements for imparting movements to said driven element in one direction, clutching means acting between said sleeve and said driven element to prevent reverse movement of said element, and a spring surrounding said shaft arranged to urge said driving element against said driven element.

18, A unitary assembly comprising a bearing sleeve, a shaft journaled in said sleeve, a driven clutch element secured to said shaft, a driving element oscillatable on said shaft, said sleeve and driving element having complementary cupshaped portions forming a housing around said driven element, clutching means between said driving and driven elements for imparting movements to said driven element in one direction only, clutching means acting between said sleeve and said driven element to prevent reverse movement of said element, means for delivering a lubricant to the interior of said housing, and spring means for urging said driving element against said driven element.

19. A unitary assembly comprising a shaft, a bearing therefor, a driven clutch element secured to said shaft, a member secured to said shaft in spaced relation to said driven clutch element, driving means oscillatable on said shaft between said driven clutch element and said member, oneway clutch means between said driving means and said driven element for rotating the driven element in one direction, one-way clutch means between said driven element and bearing to prevent reverse rotation of said element, said driving means having friction surfaces thereon adapted to cooperate with friction surfaces on said driven clutch element and said member, respectively, and spring means for urging said friction surfaces into cooperative relation. EDGAR SCHOIJ. 

